Although I am the only recipient here today who did not graduate from Wabash college, but Wabash College played an important role in my upbringing. I spent a lot of time at the Wabash College Library. This is where I discovered some great old puzzle books, did my early research on the history of puzzles, and I know that spurred my interest when I went on to get a degree in enigmatology. And the first job in my life was tending tennis courts at Wabash College.

Fathers of two of my three best friends from high school were professors here, and my third best friend is Jack Oest, whose grandfather was Professor Norwood Brigance, one of the great names at Wabash.